Means for regulating the position of cold cathode lighting supports



W. STEIN MEANS FOR REIGULATING THE POSITION OF Jan. 6, 1953 COLD CATHODE LIGHTING SUPPORTS Filed April 15, 1949 N VEN T9R. We [Ila/12 J z 1 IL 6/; 4 rmmvn Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR REGULATING THE POSITION OF GOLD CATHODE LIGHTING SUPPORTS William Stein, Ozone Park, N. Y.

Application April 15, 1949, Serial No. 87,615

1 Claim.

In the art of cold cathode lighting, the tubes are of different standard sizes, as from 52" to 93", in the following sizes: 52", 64", 76", 84" and 93" applicable to mounting bases provided with a pair of spaced sockets of standard types. These sockets are fixed in position on their bases and are spaced in accordance with the foregoing tube lengths. The lamps or tubes, however, are not of the exact sizes due to the necessity of closing the ends by a blowing operation. Due to the variation in length between the fixed sockets and the tubes, injury to the lamp frequently results, often resulting in breakage when installing or in later use.

The invention is to provide an adjustable telescopic frame mounting to enable the mounting to be used for any of these lengths, which mountings hold the sockets in place at a proper distance from each other. As the lamps are not accurately sized, a further adjustment of the sockets becomes necessary to accurately space them for the lamps to be inserted, which adjustment is provided by a movable socket support.

Frequently, cold cathode lighting is used in special localities, as special show cases made of special design, which special sizes present special difficulties in mounting.

The invention enables the special lamps in any special environment to be accommodated, and avoids the serious disadvantages referred to.

The invention consists of a socket unit having a base member or mounting adapted to be fixed in place on any suitable support, a socket supporting member movable in respect to said fixed base member, and means for securing the socket supporting member to the base member at the proper position for the socket to receive its lamp terminal without straining the lamp structure.

Preferably, though independently usuable, said unit is made a part of a lamp mounting member having a pair of spaced sockets, one at each end, and freely movable towards and from each other, to receive lamp tubes of different standard lengths, the final adjustment to the variability of such lengths being made by the moving of the socket on its supporting member of the unit to the lamp terminal.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter, embodiments thereof shown in the drawings, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lamp tube holder embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, seen in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a similar view, but illustrating a modification wherein the legs of the cap enter within the mounting;

Fig. 5 shows, diagrammatically, a U-shaped tube lamp, with the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 6 shows, diagrammatically, an angular tube lamp, with the invention applied thereto; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of an end piece without the electrical mechanism.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings, the channel member [0 or mounting has preferably a covering member or cover I I. The channel member ID, as also the covering member II, can be telescopically corelated, to enable longitudinal extension or shortening.

At each end of the channel member I I, an end piece or cap I l or I5 is provided. Each end piece is provided with the known lamp contact piece I6. The end piece is adjustably secured to the channel member. For this purpose, each end piece consists of an inverted U-shaped member or cap I4 or I5 enclosing or partially surrounding the U-shaped channel member III. The member II] has a bent over horizontal flange l8 with a screwthreaded opening [9, the flange I8 being bent over from the end wall 20 of the member ID. Of course, this portion can be made by separate pieces suitably welded. For instance, the end wall 20 also has a bottom flange 2| which is welded at 22 to the bottom 23 of the member ID.

A screw or bolt 25 passes through the top 30 of the member I5, a slot 28 being provided. The screw engages the screwthreaded opening I9, and when secured tight, holds the movable parts in fixed position. The top 21 has depending walls 27a and 21b, which are parallel and in contact with the walls Ila and Ilb. Thereby, the end pieces may be adjusted in position as required. Thus, the end piece I5 is capable of being positioned in either direction, as indicated by the arrow 29.

The end piece I5 (as also I4) has its top portion 21 at the other side of the socket 5|, provided with a slit 3|, through which a fixed vertical screwthreaded member 31 passes. This member 31 can be arranged in any suitable manner, but the specific form shown provides a headed shank 33, passing through an opening 34 with bottom 23 of the member 10, and has a nut 35 and washer 36 in clamping relationship, the shank 31 being surrounded by a sleeve 38. A

washer 39 is placed above the slot 3| and a screwthreaded nut 40 is screwed on the top end 32 until a clamping action takes place. Thereby the end piece is securely held in position at the desired location.

The interior of the electrical connection supported by the end piece need not be described as it is well known, it being sufficient to add that it has a porcelain enclosing member 4| secured to the end piece.

In Fig. 1 is shown a straight line lamp support, which has its member l support both end pieces l4 and I5, and the member-lfl-is made by the makers thereof for fixed standard sizes of different lengths.

In Fig. 5 is shown diagrammatically a U-shaped lamp 45, with its two electrical connections II a and 4lb, which are supported by the corresponding end pieces constructed-in accordance with the present invention and made adjustably movable on the member [0b.

InFigJG a sample of lamp "48'of special shape is shown, typical for other shapes. The electrical connections or sockets dlc and Md, are supported on end pieces [4b and I5b,'whi'ch are movably disposed until fixed in position. The lamp is supported by the sockets die and Id. Side walls 49, 50 and 5l generally shown complete the lamp supporting frame. The sockets Me and Md are adjusted in position on the end pieces I 4b and I51), and then secured as described.

In Fig. 4, the U-shaped member lfia has upstanding walls I to and I Id, and within the member Illa, 'the inverted U-shaped member with'its top wall 210 and downwardly depending walls Z'Td'andZ'Ie, is seated within the member a, in contrast to the embodiment shownin Fig. 3, wherein the'member having the top wall 21 has its depending walls 21a and 21b extend downwardly outside of the member I 0. These various'embodiments are shown as examples to which the invention maybe put.

In'Fig. 1, the extension and restrictionmechanism'i's shown 'as'an example, which'enables the mountin'g'tobe' adapted to the shortest or tothe longest of the standard sizes of lamps. 'Ihecentral piece l'll'c, 'is engaged by two end mountings ll'a, telescopically engaged, and these parts'are covered by'the cover I l.

The end piece proper, 'without the'sooket is shown'in Fig.7. The'screw "25 is'displaced to show that it may 'be'inserted into the opening or'hol'e 'l9,"to'c1am'p the upper surface 'of'th'e top 21 to the toplil, the slot 28'permittin'g the passage of the screw shank, withthe head of the screw '25'abutting against the'uppersurface '30 of the top I8. The slot 3| provides for the adjustable passage of the screw "31, its head "40 pressingthe washer'39, which'abuts against the upper surface-of the top"2'!. In Fig. 7, an emi bo'diment is shown like that of Fig. 3. The essentialfeature'is'the endxpiece unit l'5, whether constructed like Fig. 3 "or "Fig. 4, or otherwise; to carry out the fine'adjustnient necessitated by the'irregular sized lamps, due toblowin'gof'the ends of the tubes. Such units are shownin'Fig.

5, 'as Ha and l'5a, and in Fig. '6, as Mb'an'd' I'5b; however, they may be mounted.

Thus, in all the various shapes commonly supparallel upstanding plied to the trade, or specially ordered, the incapacity of the manufactured product accurately fitting into fixedly established spaced contact points is presented, and this serious disadvantage is overcome by the improvement shown and described, which enables an adjustment to be made at the point of installation, and thereby prevent thecontact mechanism or the lamp 'tube from being injure'd.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to-be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to-a person skilled in the art.

I-claim:

In -means for regulating the position of a cold cathode lighting support, having an extensible U-shaped mounting with a bottom and legs, and an inverted U-shaped cover having its bottom of the U enclosing the open top of the u of said mountingwith'the legs of the inverted U inparallelism with'the-legs of 'said mounting-and with said legs in sliding engagement, said cover being shorter than the mounting, so as to leave the endsof said mounting-exposed at its ends, the combination of an 'inverted U-shaped cap "at theend of said mounting and over the exposed end of said mounting 'for'closing the same and having its bottom parallel with said bottom of saidmounting, and havingits legs in slidingengagement with said legs of said mounting, said bottom of said end i of said mounting having a vertical screw secured thereto, and said-bottom of said cap provided with a longitudinal slot aligned with said screw, 'and providing for-the passage "of said screw, a head for said screw to clamp the 'bottom of said cap to said bottom 01 saidmounting, said screw-and saidslot of said'cap being longitudinally -at 'one side of a lamp socket 'base receiving opening in said cap, said-cap having a longitudinal s'lot'at its endat the other side 'of saidopeningga horizontal member forming part 1 of said -'mounting extending'from the end of saidmounting inwardly to-form a platform-for said-end of saidcap'and havinga bore an'd a fastening screw extending through said slot of said cap'and'into saidbore for fastening said cap -end to the end of --said mounting, whereby the lamp socket base opening in the cap -may 'be accurately adjusted to position relative to the mounting after the mounting has been 'adj us'ted -to the approximate general T length.

'STEI-N.

R'EFERENCES CITED The following references are of record'inthe file of'thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numb er Name Date 1",022,61-8 Amend Apr. '9, 1912 1,8'78,229 Beck Sept. -20, 1-932 2,233,280 Barnes Feb.'25,-'1941 2;250,276 Rutherford' et-al. July 22, 1 941 2,376,363 -Kloner May 22,1945 2,408,783 Kloner 'Oct.8, 1-946 234831165 Young Sept. 27, 1949 

